How to Write a Solid English Composition Essay

At almost every college across the country, you are going to need to take an English composition course. And in that course, you will most likely be required to compose essays. For some people, essay writing can be a whole confusing business. But it really is not that hard. All you need is a focus, which is more technically called a thesis. You must build your whole argument around the thesis. Because of the importance of a strong thesis, it is the hardest part of your essay. Ironically, it is also the shortest portion.

Let us start with the introduction. The introduction for a college essay can be somewhat direct, as long as it is meaningful and significant. There needs to be a specific purpose of using that introduction. You should only use a quote as an introduction if it ties in extremely well with the topic or supports your point of view. Next, use whatever catchy method of starting your essay and lead up to the thesis. The thesis, which is the most important aspect of your essay, must be specific enough to explain to the reader what your essay is about. For example, you should try to mention each of your points (I recommend 3 major points) and include a specific example for each point.

For each of the major body paragraphs, you should have a topic sentence that explains the portion of the thesis that you are focusing on. You topic sentence for each paragraph is essential because it helps you organize your thoughts and analysis. Make sure that everything you put in that paragraph pertains to the topic sentence. Then integrate your examples into your argument. Do not use half the paragraph for analysis and the other half with quotes and evidence. Intertwine the two components together. State a point and follow it up with evidence. Then explain why that evidence pertains to your argument.

After you have successfully constructed three strong body paragraphs that all tie in with topic sentences, you can proceed to the conclusion. The conclusion is by far the simplest part of your essay. The main purpose of a conclusion is to conclude. Thus, you should recap on your major points and especially restate your thesis. By restating your thesis, you are essentially giving a quick summary for the reader to remember your argument. A strong conclusion can certainly boost your grade up a bit.

To succeed in upper level English courses, try to read articles and critical essays. By exploring other writings, you can help yourself become a better writer.